Untitled
by Scattia
Summary: Still without a title but am thinking something like "When the Sky turns green"?? what do people think? Anyhows, new chapter (finally!) up.
1. Prologue

He'd had enough

He'd had enough.

It was over.

He was through with them.

Carefully he dialled a number he hadn't even realised he'd memorised and listened to the ringing tone.

"Hello?"


	2. Chapter 1

With meticulous care, Chris Jericho laced up his boots and began his usual, pre-match ritual

With meticulous care, Chris Jericho laced up his boots and began his usual, pre-match ritual. Tie the knot. Untie the knot. Re-tie it. Double knot it. He'd done this so many times now he didn't have to even think about it, which was just as well considering the state of mind he was in.

Once again, Vince had completely dropped him now that Rocky was back. Oh he wasn't surprised, he'd known all along that his time in Vance's good books would be short-lived but he hadn't expected it to be soon. He thought, well really it had all been hope, that he'd at least get a title-shot out of it; the McMahon's were famous for rewarding their favourites with those. But no, less then a week into being Vance's "buddy" the Rock had returned and he'd been dropped faster then a hot potato. Rocky had been given a shot at the WCW Title and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Vince sent him after the WWF Title.

Life just wasn't fair. For once he'd had no obstacles in his way, yet he'd still managed to get screwed out of a title, except this time it wasn't even one he'd been in a match for. 

"Jericho!!" 

Great, all he needed; the arrival of Tweddle Dee, Tweddle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber collectively known to most as Team Xtreme, his tag-partners for the night against the oh so mighty Hurricane, Ivory, Storm and Raisin. Wow, it was going to be a really tough night. 

"Hey Chris, you ready to go kick some Alliance ass?" questioned Jeff. Of course it would be him to say it, he still had that youthful optimism that Vance would see them and realise that they were ready to take on the big boys in the main event. Jeff Hardy a main-eventer? That almost made him laugh, if *he* couldn't break-through into the big boys league then Jeff didn't have a chance in hell.

Wait a minute, what was he thinking, these were his friends!! These three had stuck by him no matter. What the hell was he doing thinking of them like that? More to the point, what the hell was he doing considering doing that to them???

He allowed the others to lead him out of the dressing-room and along the corridors to where the entrance to the stage was. The other three were chattering away like anything, allowing their obvious excitement about going out to perform shine through.

For a second he questioned his judgement. But as he prepared to walk onto the stage, he saw someone. Immediately he knew what he was about to do was the right thing. Yes he felt bad about what it would do to the others, but one day they'd understand. Hell, they might soon even join him in his way of thinking; they too were getting screwed over by Vance all the time.

As he walked down to the ring, he finalised his decision. He was going to go through with it.

***********

"1… 2… and a kick out by Ivory!!"

"Of course she kicked out!! Ivory is a member of the Alliance!! Did you really think she's go down that easily??"

"Lita tries again… but Ivory rakes her eyes and tags in Raven"

"Aren't you listening to me JR?"

"Lita tags in her boyfriend Matt Hardy and now these two competitors go at it"

"Oh fine!! Ignore me then!!" 

"Tag to Jericho and now all three men on each team are in the ring, about to go at it…. Jeff Hardy launches himself at Raven and Matt starts to hammer Helms into the corner…. This leaves – OH MY GOD!!"

"Are you watching this JR!!! Your WWF guys are now fighting amongst themselves, Jericho has just started beating up Jeff Hardy!! And now Matt as well!!!"

"Folks, I can't believe this, powerbomb to Matt Hardy!!! And… and… Lionsault to Jeff!!! No, Lita, don't check on your boyfriend, stay as far away from that psychopath as possible!!"

"Oh she may have stayed away from Jericho all right but look at the punishment Ivory's giving out to her now!! That neck-breaker's left Lita just lying there!!!"

"My God, this is sick, why Jericho, why?? And now, Shane McMahon's entered the ring…. and is raising Jericho's arm??!! Why do I get the feeling he's behind this heinous attack Paul?"

"Because he was!! Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you the newest member of the Alliance, Chris Jericho!!"


	3. Chapter 2

"Wooo Hoo yvonne Normal yvonne 2 93 2001-10-10T20:44:00Z 2001-10-10T20:44:00Z 2 861 4911 40 9 6031 9.2720 6 pt 6 pt 0 

"Woo-hoo!!" crowed Shane as they entered the Alliance's meeting room. "That was AWESOME!! Did you see their faces!! My God, I thought JR was gonna have an epileptic fit!! You my man, were great and I promise you are never gonna regret coming to the Alliance."

Regret it? Chris allowed himself a wry chuckle he made his way over to the opposite couch to where his new boss was sitting. He'd almost chickened out – only the sight of Shane lurking in the shadows watching him enter the stage had reminded him of what exactly he had to lose if he turned down this chance of a lifetime. He wasn't dumb by any means, he'd seen how being in the Alliance had elevated Test from being a mid-carder into one of the top guys in the business, he knew what it could do to his career. That's why he'd called Shane and if the rumours about Austin were true, then he was exactly what the Alliance were looking for…

"Thanks Shane, and I hope I don't. Now –"

 "What the HELL was THAT all about" screeched a voice from the doorway. He didn't even have to turn around, he'd know anywhere whose voice that belonged to.

"Good evening Princess, nice night isn't it?"

"Nice?? NICE!!!! Wh-"

"Steph will you stop screeching and calm down??" pleaded Shane as he rose to shut the door in the hope of stopping the entire stadium from over-hearing what was about to go down between the McMahon siblings. Not there was much chance of that; when Steph yelled, she yelled, regardless of who was around. This, thought Chris as he sat back with a smirk covering his face, was gonna be *good*

"CALM DOWN??? What the HELL were you thinking Shane??? Chris JERICHO??? Have you forgotten EVERYTHING that man's done to me!?!"

"Stephanie if you'd just listen to me for a moment. I-"

"What happened to working together? To telling each other everything?? How am I meant to trust you when you don't tell me things!!! How are the guys meant to respect me if you're the one with all the info?"

As much as he was enjoying watching her lay into her brother like that, he figured that he'd better step in soon before this verbal assault turned ugly.

"Actually Princess, Shane didn't know for sure I *was* going to deflect until I did"

"Don't you DARE start with me Jericho." Stephanie stated as she whipped round to face him. "I am so NOT in the mood for your bull-shit right now. What the hell are you doing with us anyway?? Did Daddy send you over to spy on us? Or did Matt find out about your little rendezvous with Lita and you figured this was the safest place to hide???"

Chris took a step back at the force behind the words that were spoken. Then he took in what she'd said and furiously began to yell back at her "OK, number 1 I have not and never would have an affair with Lita and she would never cheat on Matt and Number 2 –"

"Can you 2 stop fighting now!! Gees, you've been in the same room for two minutes and look what's happened!! Chris go and take a shower and I'll talk to you when you done."

"Yeah Jericho, run along now!!" sneered Stephanie 

"Shut up Stephanie!! I can't believe how bratty you're being about this!! OK, so I should have spoken to your before but I *knew* you'd react like this and this is too good an opportunity to miss!! Jericho is –"

"A conceited jerk who's ego actually manages to weigh more then he does?"

"No, one of Dad's top wrestlers"

"Yeah right and I'm the WWF Champion!!!! That's a load of bull Shane and you know it!! I can't believe you didn't tell me….."

Chris realising that he was no longer wanted nor needed in the room, promptly got up and left. So, Shane recruited him to piss off Vance huh? Typical, once again he was just a pawn to the McMahons'. Well this time it was going to be different. Turning the corner he bumped into one of the three people he had been hoping to avoid.

"Well look who we have here"

Crap, that was all he needed. He'd been desperately hoping that he'd be able to put off this confrontation, even though he knew it was going to have to happen some day, but not right now, not when he was still having his own internal battle.

"Matt." He acknowledged. Suddenly he found himself pushed up against the wall.

"Did you know my girlfriends sitting in our locker-room crying her eyes out trying to work out what we ever did to you to make you turn on us like that? Now me and Jeff, we're used to people turning on us. Not quite in the style you just did, but we're used to it. Lita isn't and for some strange reason, seems to think it's her fault and that she must have done something to upset you."

"Matt, man, you know it's not like that. I did it –"

"To further your career?" the hands pinning him by his shoulders to the wall didn't loosen one bit

"Exactly. Shane and the Alliance were offering me an opportunity I knew I'd never get in the WWF, I'd have been crazy not to have taken it. You know you-"

"Don't! Don't think for one second you know us. Because you don't. If you did you would have never have treated us like that. I thought we were friends."

"We are-"

"No Jericho, we aren't. Friends don't do that to one another. And we're not going to be for a very long time to come, if ever." Finally the elder Hardy let go of the death grip he had on his shoulders and started to walk away. However, as a thought occurred to him, he turned back to face Jericho, still pressed up against the wall.

"One more thing though, I don't want to ever here that you have been hassling my brother or girlfriend with useless apologies, alright? We want *nothing* to do with you anymore, do you understand me? Nothing. You didn't just leave the WWF – you left us and don't think for one second I'm going to forget how you turned your back on us." With that he walked off, not once turning round to even glare back at him.

Chris felt like he had been physically hit, only now was the enormity of what he'd just done beginning to sink in. Matt was right, he hadn't just left a company - in doing so he'd given up all his friends as well.


	4. Chapter 3

Groaning, Chris raised his head from the pillow, only for it to flop back when the effort of holding it up got too much yvonne Normal yvonne 3 122 2001-10-26T11:13:00Z 2001-10-26T11:16:00Z 2 920 5247 43 10 6443 9.2720 6 pt 6 pt 0 

_Yay, ff.nets working again!!! I wanna thank certain people who know who they are for encouraging me to keep on with this story  and to the people who have reviewed – it means a lot!!! Title change is currently under discussion (thank you everyone  for the suggestions!!) but atm I think I'm leaning towards "The Switch" (very naff I know). If anyone has any idea please let me know!! And above all else – please r&r!!!!_

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Groaning, Chris raised his head from the pillow, only for it to flop back when the effort of holding it up got too much. His head…. Maybe that second bottle of Jack Daniels hadn't been such a good idea. His had was just pounding, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang….

But then it abruptly stopped. Funny he thought, his hangovers never usually cleared that quickly… Suddenly cheered up, Chris sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. OK, maybe that hangover hadn't gone after all. Still, it was weird about that banging, he'd been certain it was in his head….

Deciding there was nothing he could do on an empty stomach, he phoned through to room service and ordered a full English Breakfast in the hope that all the cholesterol would help him remember. 

What *had* happened last night he asked himself. He remembered bumping into Matt and the "discussion" that had followed, but not much after that. Hadn't he gone back to Shane's room? Yeah that's right, he had, he remembered that now. And then Shane (minus Stephanie now, probably because she'd gone of in a huff) had taken him to the bar, meaning to have a meeting to discuss his role in the Alliance more fully but that ass Heyman had shown up and he'd disappeared, so he'd ended up drinking alone. But why was the memory of a mobile phone constantly popping up? Groaning it all suddenly came back to him, somewhere between the Vodka shots and the second round of beers he'd spotted Lita talking to Trish as they exited the hotel and had tried to phone her, only for her dumb-ass boyfriend to pick up and star giving him a mouthful. There was also something about Raw….

Suddenly there was a massive crash and in burst Rhyno, taking the door with him. Chris could only stare in amazement of the wreck that was once his hotel door before glancing at the now seemingly unconscious man lying on the floor a few metres in and then back to the broken door. "I thought I ordered bacon, not rhino" he remarked.

"JERICHO!!" He winced, that was *not* a tone he needed to hear on a morning like this. Suddenly a different type of throbbing to the earlier one took over in his head.

"What?? You and Shane are so tight up now Alliance members can't even order breakfast, even if the kitchen *did* get it wrong?"

"That is not the point and you know it!!! How DARE you not open up to me a few minutes ago!!! Couldn't you hear me knocking??"

It all began to make sense; it was *her* who had been knocking and when she hadn't got an answer she'd gotten Rhyno to gore his hotel door open. Funny. "Actually Princess if you'd wanted to get me to wake up and open the door quicker, you should have started singing, that would have got me going quicker!!"

Stephanie gasped and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She tried again, but once more, nothing. If his head hadn't been throbbing so much and his stomach turning, Chris would have found the whole thing highly amusing. 

"Now *that* Princess is what the entire world wishes you would have done on Austin Appreciation night; sang without making a sound!"

"Shane!!" she screamed when she finally got her voice back. "SHANE!!" However instead of the former heir apparent, Sucka T appeared. He really had to make a mental note to himself to stop calling his new colleagues that.

"Stephanie?" he questioned as he walked straight up to her, a look of concern crossing his face "Is anything the matter? Can I help you in any way?"

"Where's my brother? I want him to deal with this obnoxious, loud-mouthed SOB and tell him he can't talk about me like this!!"

Turning to face him said "Have you upset Stephanie again, sucka?"

"Don't you mean *suck-up* sucka??" fired back Jericho. Here was another person whose voice went straight through him this morning. 

"You did not just say that – Stephanie, tell me that he did not just say that!"

"He did Booker, now kick his ass!!"

"Stephanie…" suddenly all eyes were back on a groaning Rhyno, now conscious and centre of attention. "Shane… you said we had meeting… had to get Jericho… …gotta take Jericho there…"

A look of pure annoyance crossed her face. "Damn, I knew there must have been a reason I was outside *his* door and wanted to talk to him" he thought he heard her mutter. But he must have misheard her, it was the hangover talking. The very idea of her seeking him out was laughable at the very least, if not downright unbelievable

"Is something amusing you Jericho??"

"Nothing at all Princess, nothing at all" he smirked. Should he tell her what he thought he heard? Nahh, that would be pushing his luck just a bit *too* far.

"Then I'll see you in half an hour in the conference room. Oh and Jericho," she added as she looked him up and down, "make sure you put on some clothes. I'd hate for you to upset the Alliance divas with your grotesque body."

With that she exited the room, leaving him alone with Rhyno and Suc- he meant Booker. Smiling that scary, inhuman grin, Rhyno too exited after Stephanie with the line "By the way, good morning Jericho"

Booker though, wasn't quite finish with him.

"Now listen here sucka, you may have impressed Shane but if me and the other boys had had our way, you wouldn't even be standing here to have this chance. None of us like you and even fewer of us like what you are doing to Stephanie. So you just leave her and us alone, you got that sucka?"

Great, once again he was all alone with only his regrets as company. If he'd still been in the WWF he wouldn't be suffering all alone; either one of the Hardyz or Lita or someone else would be with him, nursing him through his hangover and helping him talk out his problems. But that was then and this was now. It wasn't his fault he'd been held down and had needed to move on; if anyone was to blame it was Vance or the Rock or Kurt, not him.

But now wasn't the time for it, he had to go and meet his new "team-mates" half of whom had spent the past month trying to kill him on the direct orders of a certain Ms McMahon-Helmsley. Despite Shane's assurances that the Alliance were a tightly-knit "family" who would be more then willing to welcome him into their numbers, he knew that Booker had spoken the truth when he said that he wouldn't be welcomed. 

He had only enemies now in the WWF. He realised the same was true in the Alliance.

Suddenly, he felt lonelier then he had ever felt before in his life.


	5. Chapter 4

20 minutes later, Chris managed to find his way to the conference room of the hotel the Alliance were staying at and psyched h yvonne Normal yvonne 3 10 2001-10-26T11:19:00Z 2001-10-26T11:20:00Z 2 1037 5914 49 11 7262 9.2720 6 pt 6 pt 0 

_I apologise now to any Terri fans there are out there but I just couldn't help it….._

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20 minutes later, Chris managed to find his way to the conference room of the hotel the Alliance were staying at and psyched himself up to go in there and meet his "team". He could just hear the introductions now, "Hi, Chris Jericho, remember me? I'm the guy who's been kicking your butts for the past few months". Oh yeah, it was going to be a *real* friendly introduction session… with the local EMTs.

"Chris?" he heard someone question behind him. Turning round, he found himself pressed up against none other then the champion slut herself, Terri. "I thought it was you; how you doing handsome?"

She seemed totally un-phased by how close she was to him. Unfortunately for her, Chris had this thing called "personal space" which he only allowed the people he liked to violate. And Terri wasn't one of those people. Stepping back half a pace, he smoothly replied "I'm fine now Terri. You here for this meeting thing?"

"Oh of course, I just couldn't wait to re-acquaint myself with you". He was going to be sick.

"Gee, I would so love that but wouldn't your boyfriend have something to say about that? Maybe the three of us can go out sometime?"

Stepping back into the personal space zone and slowly running her finger across his now t-shirted chest she smoothly replied "Boyfriend? If you mean Raven, he really isn't into threesome things so I guess it would have to be just you and lil' ol' me"

All the while she was talking, Chris kept backing off as far as he could, until his back with a sudden thud hit the wall. He was cornered and both of them knew it. Chris gulped loudly. He was about to become the next victim of the 

"I'm sorry to break up this little…. *rendezvous*, but there is a meeting your both meant to be at that started 5 minutes ago" a frosty voice called out from behind them. 

Stephanie. He'd never been so glad to see her in his entire life.

"Someone's got her panties in a twist." Terri remarked "We were just having a bit of fun!" 

"Yeah well have it on your own time, not when I'm paying you to work" she snapped back. "Get in the room now Terri, I heard Raven was looking for you"

Sighing, with one last long stroke, Terri detached herself away from him and slowly sauntered into the room. "I guess I'll see you later sweet-cheeks". This time he didn't even attempt to hide his shudder.

Waiting only until Terri had closed the door behind her after a pointed stare, Stephanie launched herself into a verbal assault against him. "What the *hell* was that about Jericho?? Do you mind explaining to me what you were doing back there? With *her* of all people??"

"Gee Steph, anyone would think you cared! And do you mind keeping your voice down – man with a headache here!!"

"Don't you mean hangover?" she smirked

"Whatever, I'm too ill to argue with you. And I just know I'm going to regret asking this but have you got any aspirin I could have?"

The smirk, if it was possible, got wider. "What, no insult?  Actually I haven't but even if I did, what makes you think I'd give it to you? Having said that though, you must be in a bad way indeed if you can't even manage one tiny trash-bag ho"

Did he ever say that he was glad to see her?

"Oh I can always find time to call you a dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeding –"

"JERICHO, will you stop insulting my sister for one minute and both yet your asses in here???"

"But he/she started it!" they both yelled together

"Did not!" Stephanie stated leaning in to emphasise the point.

"Did too!" Chris replied leaning in too.

"Did NOT!!" She stepped closer to him.

"Did TOO!" So he took a step in too.

"SHUT UP!!!" screamed Shane "And get in the damn room!!" Chris suddenly realised that they were standing basically nose-to-nose, yet his personal space enforcer hadn't kicked in. Weird. Wait a minute, he was standing up close and personal with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley!! 

As if both of them had had the realisation of how close they were standing at the same time, they both simulatiously jumped back guiltily. However, as both trooped into the conference room under orders from their general, Chris couldn't resist one parting shot:

"Did too"

*           *           *           *           *           *           *           *           *           *           *           *

An hour and a half later, Chris's head wasn't just hurting, it was throbbing big time. An hour and a half of listening to Shane and Heyman rabbit on about how badly the Alliance needed to re-assert itself on Raw by winning all their matches, how with Stone Cold now unavailable for action (although no reason was given for why) how every single one of them needed to lead by example, how the Alliance was the number one……

On and on they went, round and round in circles. Even though he'd zoned out most of it, it had still bored him to tears. Or maybe that had been due to his head and now queasy stomach, he didn't know nor care.

Pausing for the elevator, he reflected on the bits he *had* heard. Raw was going to be tough, it was going to be hard, but above all else it was going to be the chance for him to prove his loyalty to the Alliance. He was scheduled, by request of Commissioner Regal, to fight Matt Hardy, his now former best friend.

Apparently Matt had asked for it after the little incident with Lita the night before. This whole situation was a mess Chris reflected, he hadn't thought he'd loose his friends with his deflection, if he had…. If he had, he realised, he probably would still have made the right choice. It was time he started looking after number one, however much it was killing him to leave all his friends behind.

Wearily he climbed into the elevator and rode it to his level. He was really regretting not packing any aspirin for this trip. Lord knows he needed it now; the amount of effort it had taken not to let on how badly in pain he was to the Alliance members and to cover up the shudders he had going through him every time Terri had looked at him was unbelievable. As soon as he'd stepped over the wrecked remains of his hotel-room door, he dived straight for the bed in the hope that sleep would cure his hangover pains. And promptly smacked his head against something hard that had been left on his pillow.

"Oww…" he muttered holding his head with one hand and the offending item in the other, which turned out to be a bottle of aspirin with a note attached. 

^^You were complaining earlier about your headache – don't ever say that the Alliances members aren't well treated. ^^

He just stared at it stupidly, as if by looking at it he'd solve the issue of world peace. There were only two people who'd known that he was in a bad way…

"So you found it then" Rhyno remarked from his scene of destruction, still grinning that made, twisted grin. "She thought you might but wanted me to check you had. Goodbye, Jericho"

Now he was staring at the empty door space. "She'd…" ….. no, this wasn't happening, this had to be a lie. No way, it  just….. no way. Because if Rhyno was to be believed, his very own angel of mercy was Stephanie McMahon herself. 


	6. Chapter 5

All through that week he couldn't help but think of what had happened back at the hotel. Stephanie McMahon had helped him? Him, the man who she professed to hate? What was wrong with the world? Geez next the sky would turn green, The Rock would declare that actually he hated pie and preferred strudel and he'd be working for the Alliance. OK, so maybe the world wasn't that crazy after all; that or he should go check the colour of the sky. As for Rocky. well, he'd rather not test that theory out.  
  
But why? Why had she helped him? All weekend long these questions had been bugging him and just try as he might, they wouldn't go away. Nothing was making sense he thought savagely as he trashed his punching bag, it just wasn't making sense.  
  
It still wasn't making any sense by the time by the time he got to the arena and was confronted by the knowledge that there was yet another Alliance meeting to go to - sometimes it seemed like that was all this damned company seemed to do.  
  
"Hey Jericho" he heard a voice call from behind him. "Wait up a second man."  
  
"RVD" he greeted neutrally.  
  
"Hey, I just wanted to say good luck in your match tonight, man. Those Hardyz are tough. Real tough." There was a long pause while RVD just grinned and Chris waited for the other man to carry on speaking.  
  
"Umm. anything else Rob?" Chris questioned.  
  
"No, that was it. Just wanted to say good luck and to tell you to be cool like RVD out there tonight." `Mr Monday Night' replied grinning the very grin Chris was sure he'd stolen from a village idiot somewhere.  
  
"You mean there's no meeting? Stephanie or Shane didn't send you to get me?"  
  
"Meeting? Urrr. you mean, you had a note pushed under your door telling you there was a meeting?"  
  
"Yeah." Van Damn may well be the best athlete in the Alliance Chris thought, but he sure wasn't the quickest on the draw.  
  
"Oooo. don't go man, it's a trap." He nodded as if to confirm what he had said.  
  
"Trap? What, by the WWF?"  
  
"No, by something worse - Terri. She tried that with me and every guy in the Alliance til we raffled her off. what, you think Raven actually *wanted* her to be his manager?"  
  
It was all beginning to make sense now. "Thanks Rob, I owe you one" he replied gratefully, thankful at having finally made some kind of a friend amongst the Alliance. Maybe RVD wasn't that dumb a guy after all.  
  
"Aww, nahh, its cool man. We've gotta watch out for each other - never know when a WWF-er or Terri might attack next. Look, I gotta go, Steph wants to see me and I better not keep the boss waiting. Later man."  
  
"Later" Chris replied sharply. So here was another of Mrs Helmsley's admirers. And there was he thinking that Rob was an alright sort of guy; it showed how wrong his character judgement was. He wondered what he had to so urgently see Stephanie about. and promptly stopped when his mind entered the gutter known as `Thoughts about Stephanie'. That woman really was a slut of the first degree; she'd have any man and every man she could. He'd already seen how Sucka T reacted to her and you didn't get that protective over your best friend's sister, he knew that. And Lord only knows what her relationship with Rhyno was; quite frankly the less he knew about that one the better. But now she was after Rob "The whole f'ing show" Van Damn as well? Just what type of show exactly was he giving her? And why couldn't she be happy with just one man? Why did she go after all those ass-clowns? He knew Steph could do better them, so why was she settling for them?  
  
Sighing, he put that one down as one of the world greatest unsolved mysteries and put his mind to the task before him; surviving the wrath of a homicidal Matt Hardy  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
He'd managed it, just.  
  
Just, thanks to the help of one Shane McMahon and one Stephanie McMahon- Helmsley. Yeah, he thought as he listened to JR repeatedly exclaim over what had just happened, he hadn't believe his eyes either; it wasn't only the veteran commentator who had been as surprised as hell when she had been the one who handed him the chair to hit Matt with so he could pick up the win. True, Shane had done a lot of the work by distracting the ref and then taking out Jeff when he'd run down to his brother's aid, but it had been Stephanie who'd given him a chance to use the advantage Shane's distraction had caused.  
  
Walking up the ramp, he couldn't help but feel victorious and the smirk which a few days before had seem so alien to him, was now residing on his face like it had always been there. So what if it wasn't a clean win? He'd won and that was all that mattered. Period. He'd come to the Alliance to win and he was doing exactly that. Just like Shane was crowing, he really was 'The man'. He could get used to all this praise.  
  
Backstage, things were pretty much the same as Alliance member after Alliance member came up to him to express their happiness of him winning and having joined the Alliance. So what if they were only there because Shane was standing right next to him, it was nice to be appreciated for once. Real nice he reflected angrily, after spotting Vince walking towards the ring entrance trying to avoid the groups' collective gaze and forced himself to laugh loudly when Tazz threatened Stasiak after Shawn managed to dig himself into a deep hole about the loyalty of the former WWF-ers. He'd show Vince McMahon how good this move was for him if it was the last thing he did.  
  
His attention was brought back to the group when he heard Shane call out, "Hey Booker my man, have you come to congratulate Chris on his superb match debut for the Alliance?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, whatever man, I came to talk to your sister. Stephanie, a word?"  
  
"Sure." she responded, speaking for the first time Chris realised since she had screamed at him to take the chair. Slowly she moved away from the group and followed Booker to the far corner of the room, not without first making eye-contact with Shane in what appeared to be a desperate plea for him to save her, which Shane appeared to not to take a blind bit of notice of. What the hell was that about?  
  
Not that he had time to think about it when his new boss started talking to him again. "You know, I think its time Chris that we re-evaluated your position in the Alliance. I mean, we know now you're loyal to us, you've just proved that, so how would you like to take a step up in the Alliance?"  
  
"I." he saw Vince staring over at them. "I. would love too."  
  
"Well that's settled, we've needed a leader figure over here since Austin. well Austin had his little accident and went out injured." A few sniggers were heard from the group at this point. "I'm sorry, was there something amusing about that situation?" Shane snapped. There was silence. "As I was saying, we need a new leader and now Chris has showed his loyalty and not cracked up under the pressure he's been under, I think he's the man for the job - does anyone have a problemwith that?"  
  
Choruses of, "Nope" "None, sir" "I don't have a problem with that" came from the surrounding superstars as Shane glanced around with a look very similar to one his father would use to get his own way. It truly was like father like son. Spooky.  
  
"Right, now we've sorted that out, I think a celebration is on the cards. Anyone who wants to go out and show this town how to *really* party meet me and Chris in the lobby of the hotel in an hour, kay? Lets go and par-tay!!"  
  
Chris had to laugh at Shane-O's enthusiasm, for life and partying, now that was something he hadn't inherited from his dad. But it was definitely a characteristic of Shane-O which made him a popular leader as even after the group had started to break away from each other, most of the Alliance were still hanging onto his heels as he started to walk back to his dressing- room until all but him, Stephanie and Booker were left.  
  
"Dammit Booker, aren't you listening to me! Nothing is going on!" Stephanie almost screamed at him, attracting not just his attention but most of the back-stage crews as well.  
  
"Yeah? Well why were you there, huh? You didn't need to be but you were. I think we both know why." Sucka slung back, just as loud and angry as Steph had been - what the hell was going on here?  
  
"Nooo!!!! It's not true!! That is a complete and utter lie!!"  
  
"What's a lie? That's Steph's joining a nunnery because I can completely 100% denounce that story as a untrue - she tried but the sisters wouldn't let her use the nunnery as a hooking base."  
  
Both spun round at the sound of his voice, both shocked and, was that guilt?, that they'd been overheard. Then it registered to both of them what he'd said, but instead of giving him as good as she'd got, Stephanie simply pushed past him, stopping long enough to scream "I hate you Jericho!" before running off down the nearest corridor.  
  
"What the hell was that about?" he asked Booker before finding himself flat against the wall. "Easy man! You don't want to upset the newest leader of the Alliance now do you?"  
  
"Leader?" Booker questioned  
  
"Yeah, didn't you hear what Shane said?" Chris smirked dusting himself down as Booker let go of him; it was about time someone put Sucka in his place. "It was just announced and I know you wouldn't want to upset Shane now would you?"  
  
"I. listen to me, sucka. I don't know how you've done this but it ain't gonna last long. And if I ever catch you upsetting Steph like that again then your ass is mine, you got that, sucka? I want you to have nothing to do with her." He stated as he stepped back. "Nothing."  
  
"Whatever man. But someone should really tell you that just cos you paid however much is the going rate, you don't own her. Unless you *are* the person I should start giving my money to now?"  
  
"Listen sucka, I already told you once today to stay away from her and I mean it. We in the Alliance don't need you going round upsetting Steph more then she's already been upset by you and I want you to leave her alone. Like I said, you are to have nothing to do with her, nothing."  
  
Now he was really confused; he'd figured Sucka would be more upset with him implying that he was Stephanie's pimp, not that he was involved with her. Weird. And not just the idea of him, Y2J, the Ayatollah, being involved with that dirty, disgusting, trash-bag. he shook his head, trying to free his mind of any bad thoughts and just concentrate on having a good time.  
  
So why was he still thinking about her? 


End file.
